Welcome

Welcome to the web site for
Agent-based and Individual-based Modeling: A Practical Introduction.
This is a textbook
on scientific applications of agent-based (or "individual-based"; we use the
terms synonymously) modeling to study complex systems. It is intended for classes at upper-undergraduate
or higher levels, and for self-instruction by students and scientists.

Our book uses Wilensky's NetLogo software (Wilensky, 1999) as
the platform for building and analyzing models. This is not a book on
NetLogo, but a book on scientific modeling that includes learning to use NetLogo software.

Second edition in preparation! We are now preparing the second edition of this book, which should be available in 2018. The new edition will improve clarity in particularly challenging sections, use the newest version of NetLogo, update model development and analysis guidance with advances since 2012, provide new and more exercises, and address many comments provided by users.

New article on speeding up NetLogo programs. We and colleagues recently published a journal article showing that, contrary to widespread belief, NetLogo is well-suited and computationally efficient for large and complex scientific models. The article provides techniques for finding and eliminating slow parts of a NetLogo code, often speeding up execution by orders of magnitude.
The article, supporting information, and updates since its publication are here.

On-line forum for instructors. We now have an on-line forum for instructors using this book, thanks
to the QUBES project. At this web site you can see and contribute teaching resources, links to related materials, and announcements; and participate in mentoring sessions with the book's authors and others.

Short courses on teaching individual- and agent-based modeling:

Humboldt State instructors' course. Steve Railsback and Volker Grimm
offer a one-week short course for professors and other instructors
interested in developing classes on individual-based modeling using this book. The 2018 course will be at Humboldt State University, California, July 30 - August 3. Information is at the course web site.

Dresden University of Technology summer school in individual- and agent-based modeling.
For many years, Uta Berger has organized summer short courses designed primarily for
graduate students interested in using agent-based modeling in their research. The
2018 course will be 16-22 July, in the delightful village of Holzhau, Germany. See the
course web site for more information.

We occasionally teach short courses when invited. Please contact us if you are interested
in hosting a course.

2017 short course. Our annual short course for potential users of this book was in August at Humboldt
State University. Here is the class hard at work:

Supporting materials updated. Supporting materials mentioned
in the book (example codes, model
descriptions, data files, etc.) are available, and a few minor mistakes have
been corrected. Additional materials are available
for instructors. Errata and instructor materials were last updated 2 February 2017. See the
Downloads & Errata page.

Additional books. Several other new books address agent- and individual-based
modeling in NetLogo and could be useful for instructors or scientists teaching themselves. See the feedback and links page for more information and links to these books.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Steven F. Railsback is an adjunct professor in the
mathematical modeling graduate program at Humboldt State University and
a consulting environmental engineer and ecologist in Arcata,
California.

Volker Grimm is a senior scientist in the Department of
Ecological Modeling, Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research,
Leipzig; a Member of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; and professor at the University of Potsdam, Germany.

DOWNLOAD SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Follow this link to download supporting materials
mentioned in the text, or the errata.